Shock resisting package



Jan. 25, 1955 L. E. DE 5. HOOVER 2,700,460

SHOCK RESISTING PACKAGE Filed Oct. 15, 1951 INVENTOR Z4 Mas/v E. 255.Ham :2

ATTO R N EY United States Patent SHOCK RESISTIN G PACKAGE Lawrence E. deS. Hoover, Warrenton, Va., assignor to Merle M. Hoover ApplicationOctober 15, 1951, Serial No. 251,335

3 Claims. (Cl. 206-46) This invention relates to a shock resistingpackage for the handling and storing of frangible articles.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved packageof the character described in which the packaging elements will be easyto assemble with the article to form the package, and in which thearticle will be supported from shock in every direction.

It has been found necessary, in many cases to pack delicate devices suchas radio tubes, instruments having fine adjustments and the like in manylayers of packing material so that they wont be ruined in the ordinarycourse of storing and handling. It is an object of this invention toprovide a package which will give better results, with greater ease ofassembling.

In the following description taken with the accompanying drawings thereis shown an embodiment of the invention, in which Fig. 1 is a verticalsection of the packaging element from which the package may be made, andFigure 2 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section. Fig. 3 is abottom view.

In the drawings the numeral is a tubular shell considerably larger thanthe article to be packaged, so that the latter may be supported in thecenter of the shell spaced from every side. This shell may be made fromany material having the necessary stiifness, for many purposes cardboardbeing sufficient.

A flexible tube 11 preferably resilient, of only slightly less diameterthan the inside of the shell lies within the shell and has its upper endattached to the rim of the upper end of the shell. This may be readilyaccomplished by drawing the tube down over the outside of the shell,where it may be glued or otherwise held in any convenient way, as forexample by a ring.

Rotatably mounted on the bottom end of the shell 10 is a base 13preferably having its center inset as shown at 14, to fit into theinside of the end of the shell. It is also preferably provided with acircumferential upturned flange 15 fitting over the outside of theshell, and terminating in an inwardly and downwardly turned lip 16fitting into a circumferential groove 17 in the shell.

The bottom end of the tube is gathered together at the center, andforced through a non-circular opening in the center of base 13. Thisopening may be so cut as to provide teeth to engage the bunched end ofthe tube without cutting it, and thus assist in causing the tube torotate with the base.

The twisting of the tube as will be later described, tends to shortenit. To compensate for this tendency, the base is so constructed that itscenter will yield resiliently, in the direction of the axis, while stillmaintaining rigidity against twisting strains.

A practical form for such a base is shown in Figure 3 in which thecentral portion is slotted along the lines of concentric circles in arcseach of which is somewhat less than an even division of the circle thusleaving between the slots 19 connecting bars 20, the connecting bars ofone circle being opposite to the centers of the slots of adjacentcircles.

With the packaging element as above described, the tube because it isgathered together at the bottom, assumes a somewhat conical form. Inassembling the package of this invention, it is only necessary to dropthe article to be packaged into the tube where it will be supported,spaced from the bottom by the conical shape of the tube. While thearticle is in this mid position, the base is turned to start twistingthe tube into a central rope like core. On continued twisting howeverthe portion of the tube below the article gets twisted as tight as itwill go, and the article itself starts to turn, twisting the tube intoanother rope above the article. This last twisting draws in the materialof the tube from the rim of the shell to the top of the rope, forming aconical form which gives a resilient support to the upper rope.Ordinarily after the base is twisted until the whole tube above andbelow the article is in tension, the pull of the tube in an axialdirection creates sufiicient friction against the tube to hold the baseagainst unturning. Many methods are available and will readily suggestthemselves to prevent turning back, if in any case it be desirable. Itshould be remembered in this connection that the simplest way ofremoving the article from the package is deliberately to untwist thebase.

I prefer to provide the package with an imperforate cover at both topand bottom in order to prevent foreign matter from falling in, and toprevent damage to the tuliel have indicated these caps by the numeral22.

c arm:

1. A shock resisting package comprising a hollow shell, a flexible tubewithin said tube, an article centrally placed within said tube andshell, said tube being twisted together above and below said article,the tube being attached to the rim of the shell at the top above theupper twist, and being gathered together and attached to the center ofthe bottom below the bottom twist, said rim and bottom being relativelyrotatable and said tube being twisted tight enough to hold the tubeunder tension, supporting the article out of contact with the sides ofthe shell.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the attachment of the tube tothe bottom of the shell includes a base rotatable on the bottom of theshell, having a central opening through which the gathered bottom end ofthe tube is passed and in which it is firmly held.

3. A device according to claim 1 in which the attachment of the tube tothe bottom of the shell includes a base rotatable on the bottom of theshell, having its center attached to the gathered end of the tube, andhaving its center depressed to receive the end of the shell, and a capmember fitting over each end of the package.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS708,654 Montgomery Sept. 9, 1902 1,074,415 Dieterich Sept. 30, 19132,352,503 Walton June 27, 1944 2,502,918 Beresford Apr. 4, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS 237,322 Great Britain July 28, 1925

